the art of betrayal
by demonsaint
Summary: somtimes the worst betrayals come from the ones you love most... but what does this have to do with keitaro's wedding?
1. Default Chapter

_Ok, so here we go again. Another story, more time to waste reading this. It's been a while since I last posted anything… in fact I at one point considered on giving up writing… but that only got me to write something else. Oh well. I guess it'll be forever before I ever finish anything…._

_Enough of that crap, I don't own love hina. Otherwise you'd know who the hell I was and people would be sending me death threats ordering me to give them the rights to it_

"speech"._ thoughts. _**_Noises. "LOUD YELLING" "(whispers)" _**

_>>>>>>time/place _

Don't worry, you'll figure it out.

_**Just hurry up and read the damn thing!**_

_**

* * *

**_

_**The art of betrayal.**_

_**Initial Installment …**_

_**Downloading…**_

Rain. The rain poured like a faucet as the sky emptied its pent emotions unto the world. The cold fluid flooded the streets overflowing the roads, it soaked the ground, it beat down on the buildings, and it drenched one man to the bone.

He starred out at the world, his once warm and loving brown eyes now cold emotionless, his soft hands clenched tightly into a fist. Water trailed down his face mixing with his tears of anger and hurt. His brown hair was matted to his forehead head, water dipping off onto his nose.

He felt the coldness travel down his back and his arms leaving a trail of numbess in its wake. His white tuxedo shirt was so wet that it was virtually see-through and it didn't help that it was sticking to his body. His black tie was gone, lost on the floor hours ago, and his first three buttons were undone.

His body shivered, the rain was cold... no, it was freezing. His teeth chattered, he could see his breath in the cold night air. He took a deep breath and started to walk, his shoes squelching with water.

His face was set in a cold mask as he walked away form life, happiness, and the one thing that brought happiness to his pathetic existence…

Naru Narusagawa.

>>>>>>A few hours prior

Keitaro Urashima stood in front of the mirror as he fixed his black tie; his tuxedo had to look perfect. He straightened out his jacket and tightened his belt. The tux curved to his body perfectly and made his shoulders look a little squarer. He looked at himself one last time before he walked out of the door, a smile on his face.

_Today I'm getting married! _He thought to himself as felt his chest tighten in anxiety. _Funny how I'm still nervous, after everything that I've been though..._

His shoe squeaked as he almost tripped over his own feet, he flung is arms out to try to steady himself. He got himself under control and nodded, nothing could go wrong.

* * *

The sun shined bright upon the small group of people gathered as Keitaro walked up to the podium. The wedding would take place outside in front of the annex, Naru wanted it that way, with the smell of flowers surrounding you and seizing your senses. The sun was directly above giving the scene a surreal look like that of a painting. He smiled as he looked at the audience, just a small group of friends and family. 

Motoko was there along with her sister. Shinobu was there. Suu, Mutsumi, Kitsune, Sarah, Haruka, and Seta were all there. Plus a bunch of rather random people that he guessed where friends of naru which made up a total of 35 of the congrigation. Even grandma Hina was there unknowingly. Keitaro scratched his head in nervousness as he stared out at them, his heart beating a little faster

The only one who was missing was one person. The bride, Naru Narusagawa.

The song started.

Keitaro's hands shook with anxiety as he stood there on the altar. His breath sped up and his heart went into mock three.

He held his breath as the notes traveled throughout the meadow, the serenade one that every human knew. The crowd of people turned their heads and waited for the bride to come over the crest of the hill and meet her husband in matrimony.

The song rolled on beautifully and soon ended the first verse. Keitaro stood there biting his tongue in a vain effort to keep himself from shaking to pieces as the anxiety reached a new level of intensity.

The song continued on, the sun now seemed to beat down a little hotter and brighter than before. Keitaro felt sweat building up on the back of his neck. He licked his lips and waited, his body shaking. Seta, his best man, put a comforting hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

And yet it continued, it was starting to get uncomfortable on the podium but Keitaro still held his smile as others turned to him with questioning eyes. He shrugged a little every now and then to stretch his shoulders. Inside he felt as if he was going to explode.

The song was starting to get redundant, _and still_ _she didn't come_.

Finally the notes seemed to come slowly and wait forever to die out. He checked his watch, _she just a little late, no big deal_ he lied to himself. He shifted his weight from one leg to the other, his knees wobbly.

The song finally ended, a cool breeze blew through giving almost torturous relief to all but the groom. The sun seemed to beat down on him with malicious intent. Something had to be wrong.

_Where is she?_

It wasn't until the song started over again that people started to murmur. Whispers flooded the small crowd; Keitaro decided to block them all out as he stood there in the sun smiling. But it was easier said than done.

"(_**where is she)**"_

"(_**is this some kid of joke?)**"_

"(_**Look at that loser standing up there all alone-)**" _

" (_**Is she coming?)**"_

"(_**He's pretty cute, this is so sad-)**"_

"(_**I wonder what's happening**.)"_

"(_**I guess he got dumped**...)"_

_She'll be here… she'll be here… she'll be here… she'll be here… she'll be here…_ he continuously told himself over and over and over. 

The song came to an abrupt halt when people started to stand up and talk openly. Keitaro's panicked eyes scanned over the audience until they locked onto those of his aunt's. She nodded reassuringly, stood up, and left. Her exit unnoticed by the crowd of friends.

Seta put an arm on his shoulder again but this time to reassure him. Keitaro thanked him for his kindness and straightened up and continued smiling.

_She'll be here…_

The people calmed down and were seated once more but the song failed to start up again. Keitaro's world seemed to be crashing down on him but he held his smile, but it was as if it was painted onto his face, fake. Cold sweats raked his body as he looked around at the crowd of disheveled people. His eyes foucused on the frought row where all the hina honeys were seated. They looked at him questionably.

Shinobu was the first to get up and approach him. Her maturation over the years was something that Keitaro had watched with pride as if he were her father. Her long blue hair waved in a light breeze as she headed towards him. She wore a white sundress that accentuated her new curves and made keitaro's eyes widen at her beauty. Keitaro kicked himself for wishing to be a little younger yet wondered why he never noticed it before.

"Sempai… err… Keitaro, where is she?" she asked in a concerned tone as she starred deep into his eyes. He starred out her, his eyes like that of a frighten child.

"I don't know Shinobu… I don't know." He answered with a sad sigh.

"Don't worry sempai, I'm sure she'll be here."

She gave him a sweet smile before returning to her seat, her blue hair swishing behind her.

"Urashima… kun." A rather controlled voice called to him. Keitaro turned around only to find Motoko behind him her raven hair shining in the light like silk. She gave him a small smile before her face turned serious.

"Naru seems to be late." She pointed out evenly.

"I noticed." Keitaro answered slightly irritated.

"I'm sorry for my rudeness," Motoko apologized with a bow, "Naru normally isn't late for anything, let alone her own wedding. Have you sent someone to look for her?" Motoko asked as she gave him a confused look.

"Haruka left a few minutes ago." He answered curtly. Motoko looked at him with raised eyebrows. His eyes widened as he realized how he was acting.

"I'm sorry Motoko I-"

"It's ok, it's your wedding, and you have the right to be a little stressed." She interrupted with a smile.

"But I have no right to-"

"Don't worry about it, I forgi-" it was at that moment that Haruka returned and silence descended like a blanket of dread. The crowd split for her as she waked through the middle, her face set in stone and the usual cigarette gone. She walked stright to the podium and stopped before Keitaro, her look only wavering as she starred him in the eyes.

Keitaro looked at her with hope as she approached. He felt a small flutter in his chest as his hands tightened.

"She's gone."

reality>>>>>>

Lightning flashed in the sky as he started up his van, the roar of the engine drowning out the pitter-patter of rain. The tires squealed as he burned out of the driveway and down the empty road. The speedometer roared to sixty and above as his face washed of emotions. _Naru… why? I loved you… and I'm sure isaid ita thousand times... but tell me what has it ever meant? Why did you do this to me? You kill me, you'll fill me up but just to watch me break? Was it all a trick, or a bunch of coincidence that just lead up to this?has everything that's happnedgone round by chance? Or is there only one way that it was always meant to be? Am I destined to never be with the one I love?_

The van started to shake at one hundred, the American settings something that was rare in Japan.

He careened down the streets with no care for pedestrians that may cross his path nor the destination that he was headed. All he wanted was to be alone, gone...

The roads were wet and his van slid around turns barely missing the guardrails. His engine roared as it reached it's final gear and toped off at one fifty.

Trees flew past his windows, every now and then a house passed by. A right turn caught his attention. It stretched around the side of a large drop off. A hill rose up on the right blocking the vision of oncoming cars.

He flew towards it, within seconds it was upon him.

He grinned.

He flew around the turn, his body leaning with it as the van tires screamed. Road rushed passed him as he slid around the turn, his van slightly hydroplaning. He was halfway through the turn when he was blinded by the high beams of a car. He felt the van slip out form under him.

He chuckled.

back to the wedding>>>>>>

"Gone!?" seta exclaimed with wide eyes. Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to the group of four.

"She took everything, her clothes, her pictures, everything." Haruka said loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Are you sure?" Keitaro choked out catching everyone's attention. His expression was beyond panic and sadness. He just looked… lost.

"I'm sorry, she left this for you." Was all Haruka could say before she handed him a sealed envelope and walked off leaving him on the altar alone. Seta turned to him with a sad sigh before he too walked away with a sigh of dissopointment.

He turned his attention towards the white envelope and suddenly it felt like he was holding some sort of bomb. His fingers trembled as he slowly undid the top and pulled out a single sheet of paper. Written on it was a message for him…

He decided to read it aloud.

_Keitaro,_

_Weird huh, how we've come all this way and everything's lead to this? I would have never imagined that I would get married to someone as great as you. It was like a wonderful dream… but that's all it was to me, a dream. I'm looking for a nice way to say I'm out, I want out._

_I know it seems sudden, but I'm not so sure of myself anymore. I know I told you that I loved you and everything... but now I'm not so sure. As I sit here alone on the night before our wedding, I'm having second thoughts. I've been contemplating my next move and I've come this decision… I can't marry you. I just can't see us happening. It was fun and all but I just can't. **Us** don't work. I need so me space so I'm leaving. I'm not sure if I'll be back or not so don't wait for me… I wouldn't._

_By the time you get I'll be long gone…_

_I'm sorry Keitaro but I just can't._

_Love, your friend, _

_Naru._

He starred out as people exchanged looks of astonishment, anger, and pity.

_Oh god, please don't tell me this has been in vain! _His mind cried as he felt his body begin to tremble._ Does it all mean… nothing?_

The people starred at each other but did nothing, too shocked to know what to do next. Soon however the crowd started to disperse. First a few left and soon the others followed. However some not without talking to Keitaro.

**_Pity_**, it was all Keitaro saw as people walked up to him. They said various things, apologies, a thank you here and there, and even words of encouragement, but all he saw was the pity. The pity drove him insane.

He starred out at every face, every eye, and saw only pity. It daunted him, mocking him with his own pathetic nature. Even the world pitied him; soon afterwards it started raining.

Black umbrellas were pulled out but he didn't accept any, he just stood there and let the rain soak him, it felt… fitting. But Even then all he got was pity. He didn't need their pity, he didn't need anything, anyone, certainly not these fools. All he wanted to does was wake up from this nightmare…

He growled as he noticed that the girls had decided to stay out in the rain with him. Didn't they realize that he wanted to be alone?

* * *

Several hours later they were still there. 

He growled.

"Why don't you leave?" he asked coldly through clenched teeth as one of the girls passed him.

"We don't want you to do anything stupid." It was Kitsune. He glared at her and she walked away, fear sparkling in her eyes.

Still they wouldn't leave, their presence driving him to new heights of irritation. He glared at them as they continued to mill around him. As he continued to glare they decided to stand a safe distance away from him… but they still wouldn't leave.

Night came and the rain picked up but none left. There was so much rain that it seemed like a wall of water was rushing down on the world, you could barely see anything in front of you.

But he could still see them, standing there looking at him with pity. His fists tightened, his teeth clenched, his body shook, and he took a step forward.

He had had enough.

"**_QUIT PITYING ME_**!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. The reaction was immediate, all the girls turned and looked at him, all he could see was pity.

They on the other handhad never seen him act like this, his rage was a rather enigmatic thing that they rarely ever experienced.

He rushed them, his fist drawn back ready to strike. They scattered, their shadowy figures disappearing into the unknown beyond the blurry vision that the rain provided.

"We're only here to support you." A voice cut through form behind him. It was Motoko.

He skidded to a halt, his feet slipping out form under him, and he found himself sliding down the wet grass on his back.

"Quit pitying me, I don't need you **_FUCKING_** pity." He growled as he pulled himself up, his tux now muddy. They gasped, he never cursed.

"We're not pitying you sempai." a voice tried to calm him. His head shot to the left were Shinobu's voice came from.

"Go away." He growled

"No." it was Motoko again this time at his right. They were surrounding him. He growled, his hands slowly raising to his head.

"Go away!" he yelled .

"No." it was simple, she wouldn't leave… they wouldn't leave. He gripped his head tightly.

"Go… away…" he growled loudly.

"No." his fingers dug into his scalp, his hands shaking from the pressure.

"**_Go. the. FUCK. away!_**" he screamed and he doubled over as pain overtook his mind.

Then something happened. It was like an explosion of air. All the rain was pushed out in a dome shaped area of fifty feet, the air flew outwards around him in Gail force.

His eyes zoned in on Motoko whose position was given away when the water disappeared.

Motoko took a step back as her eyes locked onto his blood red ones. Fear shot through her body as she starred at him.

_Where has this power come from?_ She asked herself as his aura continued to keep the rain form falling anywhere near them. He took a step toward her, the rain on the ground hissing as it was boiled and evaporated under his foot. She took a step back, ten feet not feeling as safe as before.

"I told you to go away." He said as he glared at her.

"I..."

"Why didn't you listen?" his voice sounded crazed.

"Keitaro?" she asked as she starred at his ever-reddening eyes.

"So I'll help you." Another gust of wind blasted form him, this one scalding hot. She brought up her hands to block. In an instant it felt like her arms were on fire. She screamed and then she felt nothing but the air rushing past her.

She slammed into a tree and slid down the trunk, her vision darkening as she passed out.

Keitaro straightened himself out and looked at her. His attack had sent her flying several feet before the tree stopped her. He grunted and walked away, even as the others rushed upon their fallen companion.

present>>>>>>>

It all happened in slow motion, the crunch of metal surrounding him as the passenger door rushed at him; the shape of the door disfigured. The door stopped a foot closer to him, the passenger seat now right next to his. He starred out the window as the other car passed him unscathed. A piece of debris slashed his cheek open.

The van did another flip and slammed into the ground upside down, the ceiling coming another inch closer to his head. The cement seemed to come closer and closer to his face as he starred out from his upside down position in the car, his seatbelt digging into his shoulder and neck. He could see the ceiling caving in on him, the metal screaming and sparks flying. The weight shifted to the right and he felt that the ground failed to support him.

He watched as the front of the van flipped up towards the sky, rain still hitting the severely cracked windshield. He felt weightless as the van fell backwards off the drop off, his hair flowing in the wind.

His body jerked when the back of the van hit something; metal flying past him and slamming into the dashboard. His head was thrown to the side knocking his face against the window and sending his glasses flying.

He opened his eyes to see the ground rushing towards him, his back pressed to the seat by the G forces. A pencil escaped form the floor and seemed to float next to his head as they fell. All the while the wind seemed to be rushing in his ears.

The van slammed into the ground like a rocket slamming his body forward into the steering wheel, he felt ribs snap. The last thing he saw was the glass heading for his unprotected eyes.

* * *

Haruka sat up straight in her bed, her breath ragged. She looked at the clock, 12:00 pm. She sighed and tried to calm her speeding heart. Something about her dream had scared her, what it was however eluded her. 

She wiped her clammy hands on her blanket and stood up, her legs wobbly. She had just decided to go get a drink and was halfway across the room when her phone rang.

She stumbled over to her dresser and picked it up muttering a disgruntled-

"Hello?"

"Hello, is this Urashima, Haruka?" a soft female voice on the other side asked.

"Yes… why?" she asked as she wiped her eyes of sleep.

"This is Takako from Hinata hospital, are you related to a Urashima Keitaro?" the voice asked. Immediately Haruka was awake.

"What happened to Keitaro?" she asked, her voice panicked.

"well Keitaro is in the ICU after a tremendous car crash at the-"

"ICU!? CAR CRASH!!?? I'll be right over!" she interrupted before she rushed out of the room still clad in only her nightclothes. Leaving the phone still hanging off the line and the side of her dresser.

"Ma'am… ma'am… MA'AM!?" it screamed but there was no answer.

* * *

Shinobu awoke to screech of tiers. She shook her head and walked over to the window, the storm still raging outside. 

She watched as what seemed to be Haruka's car fly by, the blue Shelby Mustang Gt500 a car that she had never seen Haruka actually _drive_.

_Where's Haruka going?_ She asked herself as she stepped away from the window, a flash of lightning illuminating the outside scenery. She shrugged and went back to bed.

* * *

The hospital doors flew open as a very awake Haruka walked in with only her nightgown and a jacket on. 

_Damn you Naru, damn you._ She cursed as she walked up to the reception area. The building smelled of sterilizers and baby powder, she didn't like it.

The woman behind the desk seemed to be in her early twenties, very nice looking with brown hair and green eyes. They looked each other in the eyes before they nodded.

"Haruka."

"Takako."

In an instant a doctor was at Haruka's side as they walked down the halls towards the ICU. The doctor was American, black hair and blue eyes. His pace was swift but he wasted no time in telling her the details.

"The patient has suffered two broken ribs which have punctured a lung, he has internal bleeding, his collarbone is fractured, there are slight abrasions on his left arm, he has a slight case of whiplash, and two fingers on his left hand are broken. All of that can be fixed but what I concerned with are his eyes. We have removed the glass embedded in his eyes but the damage is done, he will never see again." The doctor exclaimed with a sigh as Haruka stopped in her tracks.

"Never?" she pleaded.

"It would be a miracle." The doctor answered with a slight shake of his head.

_Why Keitaro, why?_ She asked as the walk grew silent, only the echo of their footsteps in the hall.

After a full five minutes they stopped at a room. She looked at him and he nodded.

"He is stabilized, but what you see my be a little disturbing. Please do not touch anything. He is prepped for surgery in an hour, would you like us to prepare a room for you tonight?" he asked with concern. She nodded and he smiled.

"I'll be back in an hour." He said as he turned to leave.

"Thank you." She answered before she reached for the doorknob. She steeled herself for what was behind the door and put back on her mask of indifference before she turned the handle.

The door opened in slow motion. The light blinding her before her eyes adjusted.

the next morning>>>>>>>

Seta awoke to an empty bed, his arm resting on a cold pillow. He groaned as he sat up and wiped his face. The sun shone brightly through the half lidded window and it took him a while to adjust his eyes.

"Haruka?" he asked as he looked around for his wife and found only a note in her place.

He reached over and picked it up, the rushed handwriting hard to make out.

_Rushed? Haruka never rushes._ He told himself as he readied himself for whatever was in the note.

**Seta,**

**The hospital just called and told me that Keitaro is in the ICU. I'm going there to find out what happened. It's 12:05 right now. Please don't tell the girls, I don't want a panic.**

**Your one and only.**

He read and reread the note then slapped himself in the face and read it again. Keitaro and ICU didn't seem to be able to be in the same sentence. Nonetheless there it was.

He sighed and rose from his bead, a frown on his lips.

_Giving me another impossible job, sometimes you really irritate me Haruka._ He growled as he stood up to his full height and stretched. With a sigh he put on a believable mask of normal Setaness and headed to take a shower.

* * *

Breakfast was a quiet affair; two of the normal personnel were missing. However the only people who really noticed were Motoko and Shinobu. Shinobu kept starring at her sempai's place at the table with a concerned look. Motoko just sat there and observed the actions of the others. 

Halfway through breakfast seta walked in. Motoko nodded her acknowledgement and the others greeted him with hello's and smiles.

"Where's Haruka?" Kitsune asked, speaking her first words of the day. Seta stopped in his tracks and gave her an obviously forced smile. Something that Motoko didn't fail to notice.

"She's out." He said vaguely. Now Motoko knew he was hiding something.

"Out where?" Kitsune pressed, catching on to something herself.

"Uh… well you know… out." He answered as he took a step away from the table of girls, all but Suu starring at him.

"No I don't know, why don't you tell me." Motoko said calmly as she reached for her sword, making sure he saw.

"Well… haha… it's a secret." He tried to cover.

"Where's Keitaro?" Shinobu voiced as she starred at seta with confused eyes.

"Well you see I-" he started

"You wouldn't lie to Shinobu, would you?" Motoko asked as she unsheathed her sword, the sound of the blade escaping it's sheath echoing in the empty halls of the dorm.

Seta was sweating bullets now.

"You can tell us can't you?" Motoko asked as she took a step forward.

earlier thatn night>>>>>>>

"He'll be out for a while." The doctor exclaimed as Keitaro's body was wheeled back into the room. Haruka awoke with a start as the doctor patted her on the shoulder.

"Wha?" she asked as she rubbed her eyes.

"You should really go to your own room now, its morning," he told her as she stretched the kinks out of her back. Falling asleep in a chair was not good for the back.

"But Keitaro." She protested.

"Don't worry, I just said he won't be up for-" he was interrupted by a groan from behind him.

_Impossible!_ He told himself as he turned around and watched Keitaro sit up and shake his head. In an instant Haruka was at his side.

"Keitaro, are you ok?" she asked as she gave up her usual calm for a more motherly attitude. The doctor took this as a sign to leave.

"Haruka, is that you?" He asked as he reached out in front of himself and grabbed air.

"Yeah, it's me." She assured as she reached out and grasped his hand in hers. He turned his head towards her and she noticed for the first time the gauze over his eyes. It was wrapped securely around his head like a white blindfold. He brought a shaky hand up to it and touched it, his hand drawing back suddenly afterwards.

"Haruka, why is there gauze over my eyes." He asked as he started to panic, his hand tightening in hers. Haruka choked on a sob and forced herself to stay calm as she watched Keitaro look around wildly, his body turning this way and that.

Finally Haruka had enough and grabbed his face and turned it towards her, her hands resting on his cheeks. She leaned forwards and placed her forehead against his, some of her hair falling forward against his face. Her concerned eyes locked onto his gauze covered ones.

"Don't worry, the gauze is only temporary." She explained and watched as he slowly relaxed.

"Ok… thank you Haruka." He said with a sigh, his warm breath tickling her nose. She let go of him and watched as he slowly laid back into the bed.

"At least I'm not blind." He said with a chuckle, Haruka didn't answer.

"You know, ever since high school I guess someone up above has something out for me." He said offhandedly as his face starred at the ceiling. Haruka turned her attention to him; wondering if he was talking about the past, he never talked about his past.

"I don't feel guilty about lying to the Naru anymore." He said as his mood darkened.

"You lied?" Haruka asked shocked.

"Yes, I lied. Not anything serious. I showed her my photo album, the one with only me in it." He said calmly as he brought a hand up and reached for the ceiling.

"So, what does that have to do with anything?" Haruka asked confused.

"It never used to be this way." He said cryptically.

"What do you mean?" she said as she studied him carefully.

"I used to have so much fun, hanging out with my friends, feeling alive, doing fun things. It never got boring. I didn't even wear glasses back then-

* * *

A sixteen-year-old Keitaro leaned against the wall outside of his house next to his front door. Over his shoulders was a black leather air force jacket, under it was a white buttoned up shirt, the last three buttons open showing his undershirt. He wore baggy jeans, his hands deep in their pockets. 

His brown hair was slightly longer, coming down to just above his eyes, the normal glasses gone showing off his rich chocolate eyes. He looked a lot more serious with out his glasses, especially with his eyes closed as they were. A bag hung from his shoulders, he was still in high school.

* * *

"-I had a small group of friends. Mostly girls but one or two guys. I remember Megumi, she lived right next to me and we used to walk to school together. She was beautiful, deep sea green eyes, great personality, and great looking too-"

* * *

"Keitar-o" a light feminine voice called putting emphases on the "o". Keitaro looked to the side to see Megumi waving at him. 

She was indeed beautiful. She stood at a short 4'11", something Keitaro would tease her about. She had marvelous sea green eyes that seemed to stare straight into your soul. Her silky light brown hair was cut short, barely reaching her shoulders, and her eyebrows where thin and slightly hidden under her bangs. Two strands of hair traveled down the sides of her face stopping at her thin lips. Her pink lips were lightly painted with clear lip-gloss making them stand out. Her nose was tiny just like her hands. A cheerful smile adorned her lips.

She was dressed in the high school uniform bearing the high school colors. Her black skirt came down to her knees, the fabric flowing in the mid autumn wind. She wore a white button up shirt with a black jacket over it, the jacket a little large for someone her size.

She had a nice figure. Her full b breast size trailed down to her smooth thin waist. Her hips gently curved outwards proportional to her breasts and then curved back in to her shapely muscled legs.

He smiled and stopped leaning against the wall. With a yawn he stretched and headed down the stone pathway from his house. Megumi smiled some more when he reached her, a small giggle coming from her.

"What?" he asked with a raised eyebrow as he starred down at her beautiful face. She shook her head and reached over to his crotch. He jumped when she zipped up his zipper.

"Wouldn't want you going to school like that." She said with a chuckle before starting her way down the street. Keitaro stood there blushing before he raced to catch up with her.

"You don't have to ware the school uniform you know. Students on the Tokyo U honor role are given that privilege." He stated with a smirk.

"-I was smart, still am, but so was she. She was a year younger than me, a sophomore, and she was in the Tokyo U honor role. In fact all seven of us were. We actually took most of our collage courses in high school; we were going to go there just to finish up. Those days were quite amazing really-

* * *

"So what? I actually _like_ the uniform." She said as she walked a little faster. 

"Calm down short stuff, I wasn't saying you look bad in it, quite the opposite." Keitaro exclaimed as he patted her on the head. She turned to him with a genuine smile.

"Thanks Kei-kun." She said before they reached the main road from their subdivision. She turned to him with a sly smirk and poked him in the side. He jumped and yelped, his feet coming a few inches off the ground.

He turned to her, her petite hand over her mouth as she tried to stifle a laugh.

"Oh you are _so_ dead." He exclaimed with a growl. Megumi's eyes widened playfully as she took off down the road laughing. He followed right behind her, laughing all the way.

* * *

"-She was my best friend, someone I could really put trust in and I relied on her a whole lot. However I could never forget Asano, a fiery half American red head. She was loud, brash, and sometimes crude, but she was the most caring friend in the world. She was my second best friend-

* * *

Megumi and Keitaro came to a stop in front of the famous Nekomi high. It was a large building, spanning over seven acres and five stories high. Keitaro panted as he tried to catch his breath, Megumi was just too fast. 

"You should really join track Kei-kun, you're almost as fast as me." She said with a smile even though she was only slightly winded.

"Yeah… sure…" he panted sarcastically and he straightened himself up. At that instant the door flew open.

"Where have you been!?" a loud female voice called as a red headed vixen came through the door. Keitaro turned to Asano, his brown eyes locking on her sky blue ones before he bowed.

"Sorry." He stated and straightened himself up.

"Sorry's not going to get your lazy ass to class on time. Hurry up, let's go!" she yelled as she turned around and disappeared back into the door. Keitaro looked at his watch and gasped. 7:28, two minutes till class started.

He grabbed Megumi's hand and pulled her through the door as he rushed to class. Soon however it was Megumi pulling him.

They caught up with Asano in no time; she had slowed to wait for them. Keitaro watched as Asano's fiery red hair waved in the wind as they ran, students and teachers parting the way for them as they ran at full speed.

Her hair reached down to her mid back and was wavy. She had well trimmed bangs that covered her almost blond eyebrows. Her face was smooth and well-rounded, a medium sized nose adorning it. Her lips were deep candy apple red courtesy of her lipstick. She had sky-blue eyes that were bright, a small glint of mischief ever-present in them.

She was also extremely graced with beauty. She had c cup breast that were accentuated by her slim firm waist. She had a perfect coke bottle figure, something that she was extremely proud of.

She also wore her school uniform; something that Keitaro still couldn't conceive the reason to, but without the jacket. Keitaro pushed himself to be a gentleman as he ran beside these two gorgeous women, but that was natural, they were his best friends.

* * *

"Those days were great. Since we were finished with all of our high school courses it was up to us weather we stayed after lunch or not. This is where I met my other friend Justin. He was an American transfer student but it was more like he ran away to Japan. His parents had literally shoved him out of their house to come here and he far from refused. He got money from them every now and then but lived with his uncle who had married a Japanese woman and moved here. He lived next to Sakura, a shy girl who was also in our group. Her parents had named her Sakura after the color of her hair, which was pink. Of course like every American man, Justin was addicted to girls. It didn't take long for those two to hook up-"

* * *

Asano was the first into the classroom, her hair slightly whipping Keitaro in the face. Megumi slowed to a stop and Keitaro slid across the room. The bell rang a second afterwards. 

"Good morning." A soft voice called out. The three tuned to see Sakura standing in the middle of class with her hand interlinked with Justin's. Sakura had the longest hair out of the seven, reaching down to her ankles. She had never cut her hair in her entire life, and her hair was everything to her. Today her pink locks where tied into a large bow so that the hair stopped at her mid-back.

She had bright night-sky blue eyes that where unblocked by her bangs that only reached to above her eyebrows. Her eyebrows were also a light pink but were thin. She had put only clear lip-gloss on her whole life and today was no different. Her nose was normal sized and she stood at an exact five feet.

Her face was well rounded and her cheeks were rosy. She like the others wore her school uniform without the jacket. She smiled serenely and turned to Justin.

Justin was normal sized for an American. He stood 5'11" his black hair spiked upwards. He had brown almost red eyes and a smile was always on his face. His face was slightly angular but his nose was normal. His eyebrows where slightly bushy but he had a scar through the middle of his left one cutting it into two parts.

Justin wore a dark blue jacket with a black button up shirt under it. He also wore baggy jeans but he stood with a more laid back appearance. He had broad shoulders and muscular arms. He was far from fat but wasn't skinny either.

He smiled and kissed Sakura on the forehead. She blushed and took a step back still not used to PDA.

* * *

"-They were the best friends in the world, those four. We would hang out together and do all kinds of things. Of course I had two others who were good friends to me but they could never replace those four." Keitaro finished with a far away tone to his voice. He defiantly missed those days. But something bothered Haruka, wasn't there seven? So far he had only mentioned six. 

"Wasn't there another one?" she voiced her confusion as she sat down on a chair beside his bed. Immediately his mood darkened again.

"Yeah… there was…" Haruka gulped as he said that, his voice was so cold and emotionless. He sat up, his shoulder's slouched and sighed.

"You don't have to tell me." Haruka assured as she desperately looked for a way to get things happy again.

"No Haruka, I do. If I don't then I'll never get over it and I'll never have the courage to see my friends again. I have to… to stop being so pathetic and go back to who I really am." He said with resolution. He took a deep breath and started.

"Her name was Tsuamaka, Reika. She was my promise girl.-

* * *

"Kei-kun?" a sad voice called. Keitaro turned around to see a girl standing there. She had long flowing golden-brown hair that reached her mid back. She had bangs that reached her thin eyebrows and two stands of hair stuck up and looked like antennae. Her eyes were a beautiful shade of amber and her nose was slightly small. Her lips were thin but had a slight gloss to them. She wore the school uniform also; he gave up about it at that point. 

But there was one thing that he didn't know back then. The fact that this girl looked like she could be Naru's twin sister.

Everything about her was exactly like Naru, from her figure to her smile. Everything except her attitude of course. The girl stood there for a few seconds, her hand clutched tightly to her chest, before she rushed across the room and tackled Keitaro with a hug.

Megumi, Asano, Sakura, and Justin all watched as the two fell to the floor, Keitaro taking the force of the fall for the girl.

"C'mon Reika, I know you missed me but I saw you just yesterday. What are you-" he stopped short when he felt her shudder between his arms and felt moisture on his shoulder. He put two and two together and realized that she was crying.

"What's wrong?" he asked suddenly concerned. She gripped on tighter to him.

"He did it again Keitaro… he did it again." she whispered as she held him tighter. Keitaro's eyes shot open and he pried the girl form him.

"Where did he hit you!" he screamed outraged. He starred at Reika's face, tears flowing from her eyes and calmed himself.

"Where did he hit you Reika?" he asked calmly as he starred her in the eyes. She looked away at the ground.

"He didn't hit me." She said softly as she moved her head to the side and pulled back her hair. Around her neck were purple bruises all shaped in the shapes of fingers.

"Holy shit!" Asano yelled as she bent down to examine them.

"I'll kill that bastard of a father you have." Justin promised as he slammed his fist into his open palm.

"No don't, he's my father." Reika exclaimed as she sat up and wiped her tears on her shirtsleeves.

"It doesn't matter. Anyone who hurts a girl like you deserves to die." Keitaro said from his position under her.

"But-" Reika was interrupted as the teacher walked in. he took one look at the way Keitaro was on the ground with Reika straddling him and shook his head.

"Please refrain from having sex in class. I'm sure you can do that somewhere more discrete." The teacher known simply as Gendo said with a sigh.

Reika blushed and got off of Keitaro, helping him up afterwards.

"Gendo, you are a Hentai you know that?" Megumi said with a smirk.

"Aren't we all?" Justin said happily before getting a reprimanding look from Sakura.

* * *

"Reika's father drank a lot… a whole lot. I'm not sure when but after ken, her brother, left he started to take his aggressions out on her, verbally when sober and physically when drunk. Reika didn't want us to kill him because he was her father and her mother had died when she was young." He turned his head in the direction of Haruka. 

"You know that was that same day that I lost who I was… and became the pathetic weakling that you used to know-

* * *

Class came and went. The five of them loved Gendo, he was one of the coolest teachers they had ever had. He was in his early forties and was slightly fat, and he always wore sunglasses, even in the dark. He was a laid back man but a genius in his own design. They would do just about anything in his class, from building robots to playing video games. With Gendo nothing was out of the ordinary. He even oce told them about his plan to get his dead wife back by using giant bio-robotic things called Evangelions and destroying the world. They laughed at that, Gendo telling them that it would make a nice anime none the less. 

They had him for the whole morning where he finished up the rest of their high school credits in an easy and fun way. Usually they would have a lot of free time after they finished the lesson for the day.

It was during lunch that Reika left to get something at home. They tried to sway her from going but she insisted telling them that her father wasn't home during most of the day.

If Keitaro knew what would happen next he would have gone with her…

Keitaro stood in front of a stoplight watching as the cars flew past. He had decided to check up on Reika after she failed to turn up after the period after lunch. He sighed as a car rushed past and the light turned green for him to walk.

Reika's house was a little ways from the school but he had memorized the path after his third time "rescuing" Reika from her father. He shoved his hands into his pockets and headed down the road that led to her subdivision.

He was alone as he walked, the sun beating down on him. He walked the way, taking the right turns, as if he wasn't really there. He starred at the cement as he walked, his mind on other matters.

He was shaken from his musings when his body automatically stopped in front of a large white house. He was here. He walked up the pathway to the door and knocked.

His stomach tightened when the door slowly opened by the force of his knocking. Something was up. He took his hands from his pocket and walked into the building.

He shuddered when he entered; every time he entered this house something always bothered him. He walked through the main hall finding nothing out of the ordinary, only a couple pictures and a random desk. As he made his way into the kitchen he heard something that caught his attention. It sounded like…

"Wheezing!" he thought aloud as he rushed in the kitchen. His body tuned numb at the site.

Reika sat there on the floor against the wall gasping for breath, her head down with her chin against her chest. Under her was a puddle of blood that came from the bloodstain on her shirt to the left of her belly button.

"Reika!" Keitaro cried as he rushed up to her and knelt down. He lifted her chin up so he could stare her in the eyes. Her eyes were closed, a pained expression on her face.

"Reika?" He pleaded as he looked at her face. She opened an eye and smiled, her lips slightly curving upwards.

"Keitaro… kun…" she gasped out. She brought a hand up and placed it on his cheek.

"I… I tried to… to patch it up… but I…" she fainted from blood loss at that moment.

"Reika? Reika!?" he cried as he gently slid her body down so that she was laying on the ground.

_Shit!_ He cursed in his head as he starred at the bloodstain. Without a second thought he unbuttoned her shirt. He paid no attention to her extremities as her life came first.

There was a piece of blood soaked gauze taped over the wound. He gently removed it and took off his jacket and shirt. He placed the jacket under her head and wiped the blood away with his shirt.

The wound was five inches long and who knows how deep.

_Shit shit shit shit **shit shit SHIT!**_ He yelled mentally as blood continued to pour from the wound. He looked around and found the fist aid kit on the table opened. With a quick lunge he grabbed it and brought it beside him. He grabbed some more gauze and taped it over the wound.

"It'll have to do for now." he exclaimed as he buttoned up her shirt and slid his arms under her.

He hefted her up so that he was carrying her bridal style and rushed out of the kitchen and out of the house.

He ran at full speed as he raced towards the hospital. His legs pumped as he gave it his all. His heart raced and his lungs screamed but he pressed on.

He was halfway to the hospital when a blue car slid to a stop in front of him.

"Get in!" the diver yelled and opened the door. He did as he was told and wasted no time getting into the passenger's seat. Before he had even closed the door the car was moving.

He checked up on Reika and was relieved to see that she was breathing at least normally now. He turned his attention to the driver and smiled.

"Thanks." He said as he tried to catch his breath. The purple haired diver turned to him and smiled, never taking off her sunglasses.

"No prob. I saw you running down the street towards the hospital all bloody and decided to help. She said calmly as she swerved around a semi truck. He gulped but didn't say anything since they were getting there fast.

"So… what's your name?" he asked with a smile.

"Misato… just Misato." She answered as they entered into the hospital grounds.

"Thanks Misato." He said with a smile and the car came to a stop at the front door. He hopped out without another word and rushed into the building.

"I need help!" he screamed.

* * *

_Well there you go. Chapter one. What'd you think? Please tell me. Any reviews are welcome; it at least lets me know that **someone** cares enough to tell me something._

_Sorry if any characters were ooc, I'm not the best at that._

_And one last thing…_

_Keitaro's past stays his past. Hope that helps with the thoughts of more characters in the hina house._

_This story is purely about Keitaro… and surprisingly Naru… no she doesn't disappear completely… at least for long._

_But that's for another day…_

_If it wouldn't be too much to ask, I need a pre-reader and editor. Maybe I might get by with help this time… you never know. _:)

thanks, bye.


	2. part two

_**The art of betrayal**_

_**Part 2: those you've forgotten.**_

Ownership? Where!? I don't see anything.

speech"._ thoughts. **Noises. "LOUD YELLING" "(whispers)" **_

_time/place _

_Don't worry, you'll figure it out._

* * *

"_She died. I stood there and watched as it happened, as the life drained out of her body. I was useless… worthless. I still am."_

Haruka felt the sadness emanating from his voice, the deep utter loathsome he had for himself and the pain… the pain he had hidden from even her for all these years.

She watched as he sat there and starred down into his lap with his unseeing eyes. His bodily expression was of gilt… shame. _Reika must have been something special to him,_ she told herself as she watched his only movement, his breathing.

Suddenly he turned to her, a forced smile covering his face.

"It's funny isn't it? My pathetic life… I'm so useless." His smile dropped and he turned his gaze to the ground.

"Keitaro-"

"I couldn't help it." He interrupted, "I just couldn't help myself. They looked so alike, like twins. It was as if I had been granted another chance. I didn't know what to do…"

"Naru." It was a plain statement; the words flowed from Haruka's mouth without thought.

"Why does everyone leave me?" Keitaro said as his head snapped up, his body shuddering and his breath raspy.

"Keitaro?" Haruka asked as his body started to shiver. She stood up and made a move to touch him.

"No… it'll pass." He rasped and took a deep breath. He held it for a couple seconds before releasing it, his body calming.

Haruka stood there and starred at him, his shoulders slouched, breath ragged, and his hair messed up. He just looked so… _old_. Haruka shuddered at the thought.

"How's Motoko?" he asked suddenly right before the eerie silence settled.

"She's fine, she came in a little beat up last night… do you know how that happened?" she knew quite well that he knew but didn't bother to state the fact.

"I hit her pretty hard." _That_ she wasn't expecting.

"You hit her?" she asked with raised eyebrows. She thought that… well she didn't know what to think but hitting her was far from it.

"Well not in the literal sense, I attacked her." He said with a sigh.

"How?" she asked fully intrigued.

"With this." He lifted his right arm and slowly opened his fist. In it was a perfectly round sphere of… something. It was small, about the size of a golf ball, but radiated power… pure power. It was clear like fresh water but looked like some sort of gel.

"What is it?" Haruka asked completely entranced by it.

"I don't know. But I can control it… it bends to my will and I use it… that's all I know." He exclaimed as she watched it expand and change shape erratically. Then it stopped, back in the perfect sphere but this time different.

This time it was solid, steam rising from it. The surface was chilled, little crystals forming into random lines around it like the rings around the planets. It was-

"Ice." Haruka exclaimed with amazement. Then it changed again, heat coming from it now, and darkness. The ball was hot like fire but black as shadow, but there was a ring of electricity around it now.

"Wow." Was all she could say before it disappeared.

It was then that the doctor arrived.

"Ma'am, we will have to ask you to go to your room now. It is against hospital policy to have a visitor stay in the patient's room for longer than 8 hours with no sleep if it is morning. I'm sorry." The doctor said with sincerity looking from Haruka to Keitaro.

Haruka nodded and turned back to Keitaro.

"I'll be back, try to get some sleep." She whispered soothingly and stood up.

"_I'll try Haruka… I'll try."_ He whispered back before she disappeared through the door.

later>>>>

"They said I could go home tomorrow… after the psychiatric exam. They want to know if I'm suicidal." He said blandly as his body starred up at the ceiling.

"We'll have a party set for you then." Haruka said happily as she sat back down in her seat by his bed. It was noon now, lunch had just passed.

"Do you think I'm suicidal?" he didn't even turn to her as he said it, his dead eyes just kept starring at the ceiling.

"Keitaro I-"

"You do don't you. You think I'm going to go into the bathroom and take all four hundred pills in the cabinet… it would be so easy… so painless."

"No!" she blurted out as she stood up, "Keitaro no, don't ever think that way. I would never think you capable of something like that so you shouldn't either." She said calmly as she placed a hand on his chest, the raise and fall from his breathing giving her a sense of reassurance as silence stretched forth.

He continued to stare up at the ceiling, not moving but only to breathe. And she starred down at him, never taking away her hand as the contest of wills continued, even though he couldn't see anything.

"They're gone… they left me…" he spoke softly as he turned his head away from her to the wall. She had won.

"No Keitaro, I'm sure Reika still loves you… even now. As for Naru, she was a bitch. She used you and left you nothing; all she was is a look alike, not the same thing. You have to realize that now. Besides, there are many who still love you. Motoko, Kitsune, Mutsumi, and even Shinobu. They all love you with all their heart and you need to realize that." Haruka said with assurance. She slowly lifted her hand from his chest and sat back on her chair, her mental strain showing itself with a small headache.

_Damn you Naru._

"All this wasted time… for nothing. I gave all I had for it and was rewarded with… nothing. Mutsumi loved me; truly loved me… but I chose Naru. What a fool I was." He was looking at the ceiling again, his facial features slack.

"But it's not too late Keitaro, you still have a chance." Haruka urged.

"She must hate me now, I would."

"But Keitaro I just said-"

"No Haruka, how would _you_ feel? To spend so much time in love with someone but to have to watch him parade around in love with someone else. To know that with every kiss they shared he thought of you less and less. To watch them smile and be happy together while they didn't even know you were there or even care. How would you feel, truly feel? I couldn't stand it, I was such a fool." His voice was sad and depressed but all the fault was placed at himself.

"Keitaro come on you can't really say that. It's not fair to Mutsumi _or_ yourself." Haruka urged as a small tear fell from her eye.

"No Haruka, I can. I even _know_ how it feels. I had it happen to me. I watched as Naru paraded around with Seta and left me like I was some nuisance, or even worse _ignored_ me. I know how it feels… but I did it anyway. I didn't care that Mutsumi was there to see us kiss, to see us hug, to see us be together and our love grow… or at least my love. I didn't care. Even when I found her crying in her room at night I never bothered to find out why. For that I have greatly sinned upon her. I don't deserve anything she gives unto me unless it is hate. But I know she can't hate me. It is against her nature to do so. So she sits there, utterly in love with one who flaunts his love with another like child with a new toy." He starred at the ceiling as if he could actually see, the only emotion in his face sadness.

"But keitaro-"

"And now what do you propose that I do. Huh Haruka? Do you expect me to go to her like a lost dog and beg for her love? I do not deserve it. How would that look to her? Coming to her as soon as I lose my love… my precious… and acting like I'm in love with her, making her look like some back up plan if it doesn't work out. Is _that_ truly fair to her? I don't think so. She deserves more than that… more than anything I could give." His body shuddered a little, the air growing cold.

"But she loves you Keitaro, it's not fair to still have her wait like this if she truly loves you. The more you wait, the more pain she will feel… you don't want that do you?" she asked sincerely.

"Haruka… do you realize what you are saying? You act like coming to her will salve all her problems, as if she would be truly happy. But it is quiet contraire. If I do as you wish then she will always have that doubt, that if this never happened then would I have never come to her? She would forever think of herself as a scapegoat for when things got tough. She doesn't deserve to have to go through her days always wondering _what if_ this and _what if_ that. It's not fair, not even if it were Naru we were talking about. I can't condone something like that ever happening because of me. It's already this far along in the game, I think it best if I would leave." He exclaimed calmly but he didn't move; only his breathing took up his muscle movement.

Haruka had had enough.

"YOU'RE SCARED!" she screamed as she stood up, her chair flying backwards from the sudden movement. Even Keitaro turned to her, the first movement in a long while.

"**_You're scared of loving her! Scared that she'll leave you like Reika and Naru!"_** she screamed as her fists clenched. "**_I'm TIERED of your pity party Keitaro! You're so stuck up in your own misery that you can't tell that your hurting others. Maybe if you would pull your head out of your ass then you would realize that Mutsumi doesn't care about being second as long as she has you!" _**she took a deep breath and calmed herself.

"Look Keitaro, I'm sorry that Reika died and Naru left you, I _really_ am, but this helps no one. You said you wanted to be like your old self, so start with now. Don't let this get to you. Trials and hardships are _part _of life, not the definition. So buck up man, you'll keep living just like every one else. Just realize that no matter what you do some people will _always _love you. Mutsumi is one of them." Haruka finished as she wiped a tear from her eye.

Keitaro looked at her, amazement evident on his face. His mouth lay open and his eyebrows raised, but he slowly nodded his head and a soft smile graced his features.

"I have to go Keitaro. You ponder that and I'll see you _when_ I pick you up tomorrow for the homecoming party. At least we know you still heal fast." She said with a smile and headed for the door. As she reached it and pushed it open his voice called her to stop.

"Haruka… they told me that I'm blind… that I'll never see again…

_but thanks for trying anyway…_"

home>>>>

The blue Mustang slowly pulled into the driveway, the engine roaring before it silenced and stopped. Haruka opened her door slowly and stepped out. She grimaced as the sunlight shone mercilessly on her eyes, today would be a sunny day.

Her footsteps sounded sharply as she made her way up the stairs that lead to the way to the Hintou Sou. With every step brought upon more and more anxiety for what she was going to say to the girls. Before she knew it she was at the front door, her hand clutching the handle tightly.

She took a deep breath and put on a mask of semi-Harukaness and opened the door. What she found however caused a smile to fill her face.

Right in the main hallway was seta, gagged and tied to a chair. He looked relatively unhurt but you never know. Immediately he glared at her and tried to scoot away.

She chuckled humorously and walked up to him, her hands on her hips. He continued to glare but a fragment of a smile could still be seen in his eyes. He wasn't too angry.

"Well let's have a look here shall we? You didn't tell them did you?" she asked with amusement as she bent over and looked him dead in the eye. He sighed and shook his head no.

She smiled and removed the gag from his mouth. He coughed and glared at her some more but a smile was evident on his lips.

"I guess you need a reward." She said playfully and bent over to kiss him. She stopped however when someone cleared their throat behind her. She chuckled and turned around to find Motoko behind her, stoic as ever.

"Where were you Haruka-san?" she asked plainly as she gazed at her with a keen eye searching for the truth.

"I'll tell everyone on the kitchen." Haruka answered evenly and walked away leaving a disappointed seta in her wake.

elsewhere_**>>>>>**_

_**SMACK!**_

The sound echoed throughout her small apartment as his body was flung to the ground. His head bounced off the white linoleum sending water flying in all directions from his still damp hair.

"You… you…. You **_BASTARD_**!" she screamed as he started to stomp on his chest, her high heels making it all the more enjoyable to hear him scream. The hollow thud repeating itself over and over.

"I can't believe I **_trusted_** you!' she yelled as she spit on him, the spit hitting him in the side of his face and trailing into his eye. He groaned and looked up at her, a purple hand shaped mark and a busted lip sporting his face. His face was curled into a smile… one that seemed to taunt her as she looked at him.

He laughed and pulled himself to his feet, bringing his hand up and smoothing out his still damp hair. He turned his brown eyes to hers and his smile grew bolder.

She slammed her knee into his nuts.

He fell to his knees rapidly, pain racing through his body. His mouth flew open and his face contorted in a silent scream of pain.

She logged it in her memory.

"I made a mistake ever thinking that someone like _you _would ever be able to love someone. You're just a cheep man out for cheep thrills." She growled as she looked over at the blond, almost white, haired woman who was looking out of _her_ bathroom door. The other woman's long tresses were matted to her head from the shower that she had just come out of.

"I… I didn't know!" she pleaded as tears welled up in her eyes. She was young, maybe just turned twenty… still a child.

The angry woman nodded her acknowledgement and turned her attention back to the man before her. He was still on his knees, his face red with pain but his expression was calm, the smirk still there.

Oh how she wanted to rip his face off and shove it up his ass.

"C'mon babe, I know you're angry but we can work this out." He said in a sly voice as he slowly pushed himself to his feet.

"**_Work this out!?_** I come home to find you and this little bitch screwing away in the bathroom of _my _apartment! And you think we can _Work. This. Out_!" she growled as she gave an apologetic look to the girl she had just insulted.

"But _honey, _you wouldn't leave me even if you wanted to. I'm rich, bitch! you need me to support you. Without me and my company you're nothing." He said with a grin before chuckling.

He was surprised to see a smirk on her face.

"_Your_ company? You mean your fathers company. Are we correct?" she asked smiling. He shrugged if off as a minor indifference and raised an eyebrow at her.

"Who cares whose company it is. My father is on his deathbed and the whole thing falls on me when he's gone." He smiled and shook his head.

"_Really?_ Is that why I'm the sole reason this company has gone so far? Is that why I'm named as his heir in his will? That every asset you own belongs to me starting tomorrow?" his grin died as this started to process in his mind.

"You're lying!" he screamed as he looked at her with pure fear.

"Kentaro, _honey,_" she mocked, "why do you think I've been gone for all this time. I've been by your father's side for three months as he died. You didn't even call, yet you still spent his money. He revised his will a few days before he died. You are nothing to him." She said calmly, her face in a set mask.

"N-no!" he exclaimed shocked.

"To think, you screwed up your own life so bad in one day, a world record I presume. Anyway the rent is due for this month and I'm not going to pay it. It's rather expensive and I got better things to do with my money. You can handle it for me." She smiled and turned her attention to the girl still in the bathroom.

"You need I ride home? I'm sure whatever money he was going to pay you is not there anymore." She said with a sigh. The girl stood there a couple seconds in contemplation before she nodded and disappeared back into the bathroom to get dressed. All of a sudden she couldn't stand her own apartment anymore. It all seemed so… _tainted._

"I'm in the red BMW." she called out to the girl before heading to the door not caring if she answered.

"Wait Megumi!" Kentaro called out but he was cut off as the door slammed shut.

* * *

The BMW started in one try, the engine howling with power. Megumi sat there and starred out the windshield as he vision grew blurry. She had expected it, as much as she told herself that he was trustworthy, she could never get over the fact that he always seemed to be somewhere else.

She felt them now, the warm tears trailing their way down her smooth face, the way her eyes stung as she refused to blink, the way her throat tightened. Her vision was so blurry that she couldn't even see the steering wheel in front of her. Her fingers tightened around the steering wheel, the knuckles popping in her fingers from how tight she was holding.

She sat there and cried her eyes out, never making a sound as her heart bust from within and sent pure sadness through her body. A small tap on the passenger window caught her attention and drew herself from within herself. She quickly pushed the unlock bottom and let the poor girl in.

_Poor girl? **I'm** the poor girl she thought sadly to herself._

Megumi wiped her eyes and turned her attention to the girl. The girl was a bit taller than her, but so was everyone else. She had waist length white blond hair with dirty blond highlights. She was pretty, maybe even gorgeous but she covered herself well. She wore fairly modest cloths, hiding a lot from the average person. Meg could tell that she had a great figure under the air force jacket and t-shirt she had on but it was hard to tell in the car. She wore slightly form fitting jeans that hinted at the toned legs underneath. Her face was beautiful, light brown almost gold eyes starring out with a look that didn't suit Meg's earlier comment of her.

She had a naive sparkle in her eye, and shame… but also confusion. Her eyebrows were the same color as her hair but on the thin side. Her lips were thin also, in fact everything about her seemed small and fragile, including her posture at the moment.

_Just the way he likes 'em. _She growled as she thought of him.

"What's your name?" Megumi asked as she put the car in gear and pulled out of he apartment complex.

"Ann O'Malley…" the girl answered hesitantly, she had a British accent. Meg smiled for the first time today. A foreigner that could speak pretty good Japanese, but why was she here.

"Why were you in my apartment?" Meg asked as she feigned a cold demeanor, she somehow couldn't get angry at the girl.

"I… I was looking for a place to stay while I start collage at Tokyo U. your uh… boyfriend… offered my a place and I agreed. I don't know what happened! I didn't know he was taken. He just seemed so nice and I couldn't help myself… it… it was my first time." Meg glanced over at the young woman to see her staring at the ground in shame and her cheeks aflame with embarrassment.

"Really now?" Meg asked in dead monotone. "You need a place to stay and I need a friend… how about it?" immediately the other girl's head snapped up in her direction.

"I couldn't. I mean I just screwed up you relationship and-"

"Oh I was coming to dump him anyway. He didn't come to his fathers funeral or anything." She lied as she slowly but surly accelerated to well past the speed limits of the highway.

"Are you sure?" she asked, hope flooding her voice.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Se said with a genuine smile, "one more thing" she exclaimed quickly as she sped up more and turned on the music.

"What?" Ann asked as she leaned back and enjoyed the ride.

"I teach at Tokyo U."

hinata>>>>

"So are all the preparations ready?" Haruka asked as she walked into the main hall where everyone was waiting to give their status report.

"The food is all prepared." Shinobu said with a smile.

"The drinks are on the way." Kitsune exclaimed with a wink.

"I have researched the names you have given me. None of them come up, only high school records. It's as if they disappeared off the face of the planet!" Motoko said with a slight trace of frustration.

"Well keep your eyes open." Haruka answered with a sigh. _This isn't going as planned._

"My special present is ready for him." Suu interrupted happily giving everyone a brief thought of panic before moving on.

"well lets get some sleep. I pick him up at eight o'clock sharp."

the hospital>>>>>

Rain. He was really starting to like it these days, those little droplets of emotional hell that fell like tears from the heavens. Yes, the drowning out of all sound like the earplugs of the world. It was the quiet pitter-patter of the droplets on the roof that were calling to him as he awoke, the muffled noise stretching forth and summoning him to consciousness.

It was cold… dreadfully cold. His body shivered as he felt around for the blankets. They were nowhere to be found.

He growled and sat up, the ever-present darkness causing the outside world to turn into a dangerous and foreboding place. He sighed as he swung his legs over the side of the bed and looked down. For all he knew there was no floor underneath him and he would just fall to his death.

_What am I thinking? Be reasonable Urashima!_ He growled at himself before sliding off the bed. He felt the air rush past him as he fell. His body froze and he could not say a word.

The drop was a lot more than what he thought it would be. He kept falling, the air rushing past him as he went. Suddenly it happened. He-

Keitaro sat up straight in his bed, his breath ragged and his muscles tight. His fists were clenched, the nails biting sharply into his skin. He felt the warm trickle of a fluid down his hands and the coppery smell of blood invading his senses.

_It was a dream, only a dream._ He told himself as his senses blared warning at him.

It wasn't the first time he noticed that all of his other senses seemed to be kicking it into overdrive. He could even hear the footsteps of the doctor walking five floors above him.

However it was the sharp and even **_clack_** that got his attention as the sound grew nearer and nearer. It was like a hammer to his head, each step shaking his senses like an earthquake. He felt nauseated just hearing it.

He grabbed his head with his hands, the coppery smell now adding to his overloaded senses. He felt his stomach churn as the sounds and smell grew loader and stronger. He clenched his teeth and forced his senses to mellow out. His strain was felt throughout his already pain filled brain but he was reworded as the feeling started to ebb away and the pain decreased.

The footsteps came to a stop outside his door. He listened to the sound of ruffling clothes then the sharp sound of a knock invaded his senses.

"Keitaro… Keitaro are you up?" it was Haruka… funny how he had just woken up, she must have been psychic or something.

"Yeah." He called out lamely as he turned his attention towards the door even though he couldn't see where it was.

He winced as the creak of the door stung his overly sensitive ears.

"You ready?" she asked tentatively, her voice full of hope.

"Yeah, they dressed me last night." He said causally as he stood up and slid off the bed. He half expected to fall to his doom in doing so.

Haruka looked at him and frowned. He was dressed in the same cloths as when he came here, in the same condition.

His jacket sleeves were ripped and the left one was torn off. The tuxedo shirt he wore under that had holes in it and blood trailing down it. His black pants were covered in a thin layer of dirt, residue from the mud he had slipped in. that mixed with the slightly red gauze he was wearing made him look like some sort of zombie. She smiled as she new exactly how to stall so that everything would be ready when they got back.

"Keitaro, you look terrible!" she exclaimed with mirth as she walked up to him.

"Oh thanks a lot Haruka." He said blandly as he crossed his arms. She looked at him slyly but stopped when she realized that he couldn't see her.

"C'mon Keitaro, lets go shopping!" she said with more emotion then he had ever herd her use before. It was effective however to get a smile on his face, if only a small one.

* * *

It was early, the sun still rising over the mountains. Yet this house was a blur of motion.

"Keitaro should be here anytime now!" Shinobu's voice sounded throughout the building from the kitchen as she hurried on the final preparations.

"The drinks are late!" Kitsune's irritated voice called out to all who were listening.

Which was no one.

"I'm done with the décor." Motoko called out as she wiped the sweat from her brow. They had gone all out for the party. Streamers had gone up, balloons and everything. However Motoko was the one who fixed up all the miscellaneous holes that Keitaro wouldn't be able to find now.

Motoko's blood ran cold as she remembered the one distinct fact that Haruka had told them.

_Keitaro is blind. _Those three words sent more pain through her heart than any other words she had ever heard. The reaction they gave was immediate. Kitsune's jaw dropped, her eyes opened wide, and she went from piss drunk to sober in .65 seconds. Mutsumi had disappeared soon afterwards, she had just walked out and no one had heard from her since. Suu went from shocked to into her room and had been making Keitaro a _special_ present ever since. Sarah had looked at Haruka funny before shaking her head in anger and disappointment. Motoko herself was taken back by the proclamation. It was in that instant that she felt the most emotional distress and depression since her sister had left when she was young.

But it was poor Shinobu who had taken it the worse. Shinobu had promptly passed out after the news was told. This was an expected reaction. However it was when she awoke that she started to act differently. She flatly refused to believe that Keitaro was blind and even went far enough to call Haruka a liar. A fight of words had erupted before Haruka settled it with her proposition for the party.

A knock at the front door captured her thoughts.

* * *

"Here, this will help." Haruka's voice came to his ears. The sweet tone she used was so different from the monotone she usually talked with. She seemed so open now compared to what she used to be like. But that was natural; she still must feel bad for him.

**_Pity._** He bit the inside of his cheek to clear his head. He didn't need to get caught up on things like that anymore. The overwhelming coppery taste easily washed that away but he still wasn't used to everything being so… intense. He searched out with his ears to find where they were. It seemed like a crowded mall, the thousands of voices and smells indiscernible from each other. However it was the shuffling of clothes that caught his attention.

He felt a tugging on the gauze over his eyes and the refreshing coolness of air on his eyelids. His heat quickened a he opened his eyes, hope still in him. But alas he saw nothing, disappointment freezing his stomach.

Haruka starred at him with raised eyebrows. She had been slightly hoping that he would be able to see when his eyes opened. By his reaction it was obvious that he was still blind. She however took this time to study, really study, his face without his glasses and with his eyes the way they were.

He looked younger, eighteen maybe, but he seemed to have a lot more maturity. She realized at that point that Keitaro had a baby face and he was defiantly handsome. But those eyes of his stole her attention away and froze he in her place.

They had healed, no trace of blood or cuts on them, but they were so different now. Gone was the smooth chocolate brown that once colored his eyes, replaced with a dead slate gray. His pupils were now small, barely half the size of what they usually where. However his eyes seemed normal, they weren't deformed or anything like that, if anything they seemed to be his natural eyes. If some random person were to walk up to him right now they wouldn't know that he was blind… and that was a problem.

Although Haruka thought it was great that her nephew was still handsome after his accident, it would do him no good if strangers came up to him and started to ask him questions when he was unable to see them. She decided on a quick remedy to fix that.

Keitaro sighed as he heard her footsteps head away from him leaving him in the middle of the store alone. It wasn't that he was scared or anything but she hadn't commented or even made a noise since he had opened his eyes. He hoped his face wasn't destroyed.

Her footsteps returned not five minutes later and there was an obvious spring to her step.

"Keitaro I got an idea to help people know that your blind." There was a smile in her voice, it tugged at his lips but he kept a straight face.

"And why would I want people to know that I'm blind?" he asked simply as he raised an eyebrow.

"Because people cant tell if your blind the way you are now, you don't even look like it. But…" he felt her hot breath on the side of his face and the pressure of her weight on his chest as a soft silky thing was placed over his eyes and expertly tiered around his head.

"With this they can guess." She smiled as she stepped back to admire her handiwork. She had wrapped a silk jet-black blindfold over his eyes and tied it around his head so that now his eyes were hidden, the blindfold stopping right before reaching his eyebrows. She reached over and pushed his bangs up so that they fell back down and slightly coved the blindfold. The back of the blindfold was tied with a simple small knot that was hidden under his hair and the remaining cloth flowed down to his shoulders in two black ribbons. Even with the blindfold he caught the attention of a group of teenage girls that walked past. At least she still had it in her when it came to fashion sense.

She had dressed him in a simple non-logo large black t-shirt that stretched down his knees where his large baggy jeans came down over his legs. It was simple attire but the new wardrobe seemed to fit now that he was changing himself on the inside.

He looked up at the ceiling and sighed, a serene look coming over his face.

"_It is time,_" He whispered just loud enough for her to hear, "_time to return._" When he looked down again he looked like he was a completely different man. His physical features were the same but the vibe he gave off was so different. Just by looking at him he seemed more enlightened, happy. He seemed old and knowledgeable yet young and reckless at the same time. Cautious yet outgoing, laidback yet intense. But as she starred at the new Keitaro she realized one thing; this was the natural and true Keitaro Urashima, without the façade or hiding anything. He was even smiling a true smile.

"Shall we go?" he asked as his smile turned into a playful grin.

"Yeah lets go."

* * *

What'd you think? Good, bad? Sucked shit? Tell me please!

Yeah, so I lied about past being past but it's really needed for the plot to get to where I want it to be. And that's a secrete. I'm posting as I finish every other chapter, so now you know if there's a next one. I'll try to keep every chapter as long as this one but no promises either way.

As for the bashing of the hina girls. I find there to be a little bit of excess in that department, but yes. I will fit in a Keitaro snaps in this story. It's actually part of the plot. And it never gets old, Sorta. There is a lot of foreshadowing in this chapter for later chapters so be on the look out. Hers a hint:

Why did Keitaro fall in love with Naru? (As I stated)

Thank you to my four reviewers. You make me so happy, I love you guys! (in a non-homosexual way)

Kurosawa Seiji, I would be honored if you preread for me. Email me or something and I'll get back to you ok? Or tell me how to reach you :)

Please keep up the reviews. And more of keitaro's past will be revealed in a couple of chapters.

I'll try to update every week.

review!!!!!


	3. part thee

_**disclaimer: i don't own it... otherwise love hina would be a compleatly different story... sort of...**_

**_ok here we go. before you read, just one thing. this chapter sucks! it blows!_**

**_i don't know what happened but i couln't get it right... i spent all this time rewriting it and it still sucks... so flame if you want... i already know how bad it is. maybe when it's all said and done i'll revise this..._**

**_sorry, so very sorry for the wait..._**

**_here you go._**

* * *

****

_**It's my party and I can die if I want to…**_

_**Part # 3**_

Noises. They were all around him, surrounding him in a cocoon of deafening sound. Each step he took added more noise to his already screaming senses. Each sound was like a siren in his ear, each touch like acid on his skin, each smell like a blast of mace up his nose.

He was getting used to it.

But then there was the rain. Raging down on the earth like a demon and soaking all that got in its way. Keitaro listened to the annoying tap of water on the umbrella that he and haruka stood under, the wetness filling the air and making each breath like drinking a glass of water. He could feel the cold shivers travel up and down his spine wherever the cold air blew against, the water blowing into his face not exactly what he would've wanted at the moment. But for some reason it seemed fitting… everything seemed fitting.

That was why he wasn't complaining about standing in the middle of darkness with the sound of cars surrounding him.

Keitaro and Haruka where in the middle of making their way to where he hoped her car was parked. For this city, rain or shine, there were no off days. People filled the sidewalks, their bodies massing together in a giant clump of moving flesh. Keitaro walked with his hands in his pockets, there was no need for worrying about safety. All he had to do was move with the flow of the people around him and he would be fine. Plus he had Haruka's voice to guild him.

"So Keitaro, what are you going to do now?" she asked absent mindedly as she led him around a turn.

"I… don't know. I guess I have to move on with my life. You know, i can't be sad forever." He answered with a sigh. He really didn't want to think about it.

_Do you think you can just "get over" naru? "Get over" being blind? "Get over"-_ his mind mocked him. 

**_Enough!_** He mentally screamed at himself. _I have to **do** something. And I have to get over her sometime…_

_But do you seriously think you can do it now?_ He left that questioned unanswered and continued his way down the sidewalk. 

Haruka walked next him, an unlit cigarette in her mouth, looking as if she didn't care about well… anything.

However she kept a vigilant eye on her nephew. She had a nagging feeling that things were only going to get worse…

She hoped she was wrong.

* * *

For a woman of Motoko's stature, calm was supposed to be an essential part of everything she did. Weather it was walking or fighting. Nervous was one thing that was never supposed to be felt.

However, as she stood there staring at the door she was anything but calm, and she was defiantly nervous. Someone had knocked on the door not a few seconds ago but it felt like an eternity. She stood there, her hand frozen in mid turn of opening the door. Something was wrong.

_What are you doing? Open the door and quit acting like a fool._ She chided herself as she continued to will her hand to move.

It didn't budge.

_What's going on?_ She questioned as she slowly removed her hand from the handle. Almost out of instinct her hand was on the hilt of her sword and pulling it from the safety of it's sheath, the sound giving her confidence a boost.

She waited for a few more seconds, the nock on the door repeating. Her heart raced as she brought her hand up and to the door again, her grip tightening on her katana and she prepared herself for whatever was on the other side of that door.

_Something about this is wrong… so utterly wrong. _Her mind warned.

With that thought she opened the door…

* * *

The roar of haruka's car was like a lullaby to Keitaro's ears as he sank further into the seat. He had never stayed in a hospital for as long as he just had, the normal sound of people and cars a thing he greatly missed during his stay. There was something about careening down the road and 120 km per hour with other one-ton objects while not being able to see what was going on that gave Keitaro a feeling of…

Relaxation.

However it could've been that fact that he was riding with Haruka, and her ever-relaxed aura was rubbing off on him. He was so relaxed that he failed to notice that said person was talking to him.

"Right Keitaro?" she asked with the slightest hint of a smile in her voice. He felt his weight shift as they turned.

"What? Or sorry Haruka I… wasn't listenting." He answered with a yawn and shook the cobwebs out of his head. Her could almost visualize her irritation as she sighed.

"I said, won't you be glad to get home? The normal environment should do you good right?" she asked for a second time, this time taking another turn sharply and sending him into the door.

"Oww. What was that for?" he grumbled as he rubbed his shoulder.

"What was that?" she growled.

_She must've been trying to talk to me for a while now... oops._

"N-nothing, just a little tiered." He lied and shifted so that he was staring out the front window.

"We're here." She exclaimed as he listened to the car's engine die. He sighed and listened to Haruka get out of the car and head off. He reached down for his door handle... and missed.

_This may be a little hard._

"Uh… help?" he called put to the retreating for of Haruka as he fumbled aimlessly with the door. A small smile crossed his face as he listened to her footsteps growing near again.

A sigh and apology later and they were both on their way up the stairs and to total chaos.

* * *

Slowly the door opened and Motoko squinted as the sunlight blinded her, the radiance seemed 'coincidently' placed so she could not tell who her guest was. Slowly her vision returned and she found herself face to face with a woman.

_Naru?_ She asked herself as she allowed her eyes to adjust to the still blinding luminescence. Slowly as the woman's silhouette filled in she noticed that it was indeed not naru.

And there were two if them.

"Hello?" she asked as the two gave her a confused look.

"Hi… is this the hinata sou?" the older one asked quietly as she looked around at the surrounding building curiously. It looked as if she was lost… or looking for something.

"Yes. Yes it is." Motoko answered with a raised eyebrow, suddenly it felt like her sword was unneeded.

Immediately the older woman's face glowed with barely withheld glee.

"Then this is the residence of Keitaro Urashinma right!?" she practically squealed as she brought her hands up to her chest in hope.

"yes…"

"YOU HAVE TO LET ME SEE HIM!" she cried as she grabbed Motoko by the shoulders and shook her.

_Who is this woman!_ Her mind cried as she tried to get barring while the world continued to move back and forth.

"STOP!" she screamed at the older lady.

And she did.

Motoko shook her head of the dizzy feeling as she straightened out her clothes. With a sigh she turned and addressed the woman again, her eyes ready for any sudden movement.

"Keitaro Urashmia… is not here, he shall be back soon however. Do you wish to come in?" she asked as she opened the door wide to invite them.

"Sure, thank you." The lady answered with a smile.

"it is not a problem, what is you name?" Motoko asked casually as led them into the house.

"Megumi."

Motoko froze, _Nah it couldn't be. just a coincidence..._

* * *

Keiaro slowly made his way up the stairs; each step he took was always hesitant, not wanting to trip and fall. He counted every one, having taken this trip several times before hand, giving him a sense of calm within the storm that was his mind.

"I'll let you in but I cannot stay, I have a tea house to run ya know." haruka said with the same cool edge that she normally used as they reached the last step.

Keitaro smiled, her normal attitude was a breath of fresh air to the overly motherly like attitude she had taken up while at the hospital. It proved that she trusted him at least this much to let him find his own way around the place he lived.

"Thanks au- I mean haruka." He said with a smile. She smiled back at him but stopped when she realized that he was unable to see it yet again.

"Don't get lost." was her simple response before she turned around and disappeared into the darkness of his senses. He listened to the steady reseeding **_clack _**of her footsteps before taking a deep breath and reaching for the door handle. His hand fumbled around for a few seconds before getting a good grip on the blasted thing and he twisted the handle and let himself in.

* * *

"… So how do you know Keitaro?" Motoko asked as she sat on the couch opposite of her two guests. She studied both, first the younger blond girl.

She was timid in Motokos eyes, the girl seemed to want to shrink into the couch and dissapear or run away. Her gaze was everywhere frantically taking in her surroundings and trying to formulate the quickest escape rout.

_She is not a threat. _Motoko finalized before turning her attention to the other girl.

This one was different, lively and upbeat. She sat proudly in her seat and with a smile on her face. She was also very talkative, talking non-stop about Keitaro since she got here. For some reason Motoko's intuition screamed "threat" to her. Well not "threat" per say but it was definitely not something to ignore.

"Well back in high-" she had started before the yell of "I'm home" cut them off.

It wasn't just any "I'm home".

It was Keitaro.

* * *

Keitaro was bum rushed. The voices, noises, smells, and feeling of five girls crashed into him like the titanic and the iceberg. And he was sinking into them just as rapidly.

Immediately he searched for something to single out and focus on. The growing wetness on his shirt suited him just fine…

There could be no other that would do such a thing, not after… _her_.

He wrapped his arms around Shinobu and gave her a light-reassuring squeeze, listening to the sniffling slowly stop. She slowly pulled her head away for him and the crowd silenced to let her speak.

"Sempai, you're b-blind!" she cried out before burying herself in his shirt again.

"It's ok shinobu… I'll… I'll live." He reassured her before lightly prying himself from her.

Next he felt a soft hand take his. He was confused… no one acted like that to him. _Who could it be?_

However it was when that hand took his and placed it on something warm and soft and round did he realize.

_Oh boy._

"Don't worry Keitaro, this ones free." Kitsune's sultry voice cut through his mind like a sword through a leaf, reeking countless measures of havoc in a span of only two seconds.

It was at that time that Keitaro was skyrocketed through the air by a tremendous burst of blood from his nasal capacity that almost sent him into unconsciousness from blood loss. He struggled to stand before receiving a helping hand from yet anther unknown.

"Thank you." He told the unknown woman as he dusted himself off.

"Your welcome." Motoko's serine voice answered.

Keitaro froze.

_Motoko… helping **me**_ out. _That's… new._

The rushing of air and the smack of flesh against flesh announced the arrival of yet another woman.

Suu.

Keitaro had to drag himself up yet again as he tried to regain his breath from suu's latest "playful kick".

"Glad to have ya back kei!" her expressive voice rang out before he heard her swift footsteps disappeared somewhere in the confines of the complex.

Finally he felt a hand grasp his shoulder and squeeze almost reassuringly. He turned his head in the general direction of the person and gave a confused glance.

"You ok… dork?" Sarah's voice asked in genuine concern.

"yeah, Suu's kicks have always been like that." He answered with a sigh.

"No, not that. You bein' blind and everything." She asked and squeezed his shoulder a little tighter. He was surprised by her uncharacteristic behavior... his answer dieing on his tounge for a second.

"Yeah, I guess so." He answered finally. He listened to a collective release of held breath from the entire crowd. Sarah's hand disappeared from his shoulder and he stored the feeling of it in his memory forever.

Next came the questions of why and how, each answer brining forth more questions. That was until shinobu let slip-

"why did Naru sempai leave you."

Immediately the group turned an eerie silent, no one making a move.

"Oh keitaro, you have guests." Motoko cut in before anything _more_ could happen.

"Guests? Who?" he asked with mild confusion, thoughts of naru being pushed from his mind by this new information.

Who would visit me? 

"Two girls, one goes by the name Megumi." His whole body froze this time, heart and all.

_No, no it couldn't be. It's too soon; I'm not ready for the past!_ His mind screamed.

"Hey Keitaro!" a **_very_** familiar voice called out.

_Oh, oh shit._

* * *

The door to the apartment closed with a muffled thud. A sigh escaped her throat as she wheeled her bags into the main area, a quaint little room with a small bed, a TV, and a desk. A bathroom connected to her room much like any hotel. However it was the view that caught her attention.

She set her things down on the queen sized bed and made her way over to the large glass sliding doors that were made specifically for the task at hand. The blinds had been closed by the previous owners, blocking out the moonlight.

She grasped the door handles and pulled them apart, sliding the doors out of her way as if they were the doors to her freedom… and in a way they were.

She slowly walked out onto the patio, the cool night air brushing against her unprotected arms, nipping at them and sending goose bumps along them.

She shivered, her thin t-shirt not very successful at holding back the cold.

However all of this was lost from her mind. No, her mind was elsewhere. Even as she starred out at the marvelous and blinking city called Tokyo, with all it's dazzling colors, amazing sounds, and brilliant life, her mind was elsewhere.

Her mind failed to see how the moon glowed upon the land like a lamp that shown only the milkiest white light, it failed to see how the cool wind blew across her and enveloped her in it's feather light grasp, it missed the sounds of happiness from the streets, and it failed to feel the warm tears running down her cheek.

No all of its might was focused on one thing.

Keitaro urashima.

_I'll… I'll stay here for a couple weeks, just to get my head straight. Yeah, that's it…_

_They won't even know I'm gone… and knowing that keitaro, hell beg for forgiveness when I come back. It's his fault I left anyway! Yeah! That jerk…_

_How dare he try and marry me. He knew I wasn't ready! Ugg, that perv probably only wanted to have sex with me. I can't believe him. Only thinking of my body. I knew he didn't really love me._

_Man, if I didn't lov- LIKE him so much he would've been kicked out by now!!_

"_What a loser_." Naru whispered to herself as she turned around and headed back inside to the safety and warmth of her room. However, that statement wasn't made to Keitaro…

It was made to herself…

* * *

He slowly made his way through his room, his strained mind hazed by the effects of sake. _Man, why did Kitsune insist that I drink? _He thought painfully to himself.

_Whatever, I'll thank her latter... I mean later. Damn alcohol. Well it has dimmed down my hearing and touch a little. That's good._

He slowly but safely made his way through my room, glad he usually keep it so clean. _God, this would be so hard if it was a mess_. Was a quick thought that passed through his mind.

He shuffled over to his bed, shuffling a good idea as to not trip over whatever was in his way. It was at that time that his foot made contact with his desk, the hollow wooden **_thunk_** proof.

_Damn! that hurt. _He mentally cried as he continued to make his way through his room, though now limping.

He somehow found his bed, the soft cushiony feeling almost drawing him to sleep. Almost…

**Knock knock**

_Ah, who is it now?_

"Come in!" he called out, his voice sounding a little too rough for his tastes. _Must've been that tube they shoved down my throat._ He thought with a shudder.

The door slowly made it's way open, the low swish of the door gliding over the floor echoing in the now quiet room. He heard her light footsteps make there way through his room; the delicate footsteps hard to place the identity on.

Next he felt her soft weight settle next to him on his futon, puzzlement traveling through his mind. However he waited for her to speak.

"It's been a while Keitaro…"

_That voice… No way. She can't be here… _

_She's dead!_

"Reika… you… you're… how?" his mind scrambled out as he just sat there stunned.

"It doesn't matter how, I don't have time to explain. I'm just here to give you a message." She quietly told him as he tried to slow his speeding heart.

"Oh." He didn't know why but he felt empty… hollow inside. It was as if all his emotions had been drained and placed in a bucket in front of him.

"Don't patronize me Keitaro, I'm here for a reason." She wasn't the normal Reika he remembered. It was as if death had made her… angry.

"The power?" he guessed quietly with a sigh as he lay back, brining an arm behind my head as a pillow.

"No Keitaro, that's something **_entirely_** different." She hissed and he felt her shift her weight. She was restless about that subject for some reason.

"Keitaro… I'm here to _help_ you." She said lowly, her voice changing into a more seducing tone

"What do you mean?" He asked simply confused.

"You don't think things like that just fall out of the sky for no reason? Gifts always come with a price, weather you pay it or someone else does." He shivered at her cold tone of voice. Something about it made him rethink about the idea of having the power… It felt... tainted to him. She noticed his change in mood.

There was a quick rustling sound then he felt her weight rest on him, her hair flowing over his arms and her warm breath on his neck.

With this simple gesture he found himself on the brink of ecstasy again.

"_Be careful Keitaro… the pain has just begun…_" she whispered, her voice reminding him of how it was years ago.

He loved just hearing the sweetness of her voice, almost so much that the warning didn't register. He slipped his arms around her and bathed in her warmth… knowing the moment only lasted for so long. He was content just like that… and he would've stayed like that forever…

but a nock interrupted their moment…

and she was gone.

* * *

see, i warned you. sorry, i was (an still am) in a funck when i wrote this... i'll try to have the next chapter out soon. and hopefully that will be better...

nothing much to say, besides that you to all of my reviewers! you guys kept me working to try to keep this chapter as good as i could.

sorry for the bad chapter.

until next time.

peace.

oh, what happened at the party is next chap... and then thats the end of act one. act two is a little... crazy.


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